The Chaos of Children
by Sass and Sex
Summary: tumblr prompt: Your OTP have a kid and lose that kid in a ball pit. All five Bartlets, when the girls were very young. Jed and Abbey spend a stressful afternoon with Liz, Ellie, and Zoey.


**The Chaos of Children**

"I could kill you right now," Abbey said under her breath so only her husband could hear.

Jed just smiled and laughed to himself. He didn't like this any better than she did, but how could he say no to all three of his little girls? Ellie wanted to come to Play Palace, and Liz would do anything to make Ellie happy, and baby Zoey just wanted to do whatever her big sisters wanted. So here they were, shepherding a twelve year old, an eight year old, and a two year old in the bedlam of children running and screaming all over the place.

"Daddy, Ellie and I want to go to the big slide!" Liz whined.

"Elizabeth, you know how that tone of voice annoys me," Jed warned.

"Sorry," she replied contritely. "Can we go, please?"

Jed looked to Abbey, who was struggling to keep a hold on a squirming Zoey. Abbey sighed and handed the little monster to her father. "I think Zoey wants to be with her daddy. I'll go with you, Lizzie."

Ellie gave a big toothy grin and took her mother's hand and dragged her after Liz.

Jed watched his wife jog to keep up after their older girls. Those jeans looked very nice when she ran. But he was brought out of his lusting by a tiny hand grabbing his nose.

"Daddy, let's go play," Zoey said with a smile.

He couldn't resist anything that little girl did. Those big blue eyes sparkled with such joy whenever she looked at him, and it just melted his heart every single time. "Alright, Zo. Where do you want to play?"

Zoey craned her neck around the whole room before deciding on the ball pit in the corner. "There!" The brightly colored plastic balls had captured her attention.

Jed carried his youngest daughter over to the ball pit, as she had requested. He couldn't help but imagine Abbey's response to their daughter swimming in a pool of germs. But Abbey wasn't here right now. It was Daddy's job to keep that little girl smiling. So after checking that there were no other children in the way, Jed tossed Zoey into the pit. She shrieked in delight as she landed with a soft thump. He watched her for a little while. The joy and love of being a parent washed over him in a wave. These four girls were the light of his life, all that could ever matter to him. Zoey, Ellie, Liz, and Abbey. His girls.

"Jed!"

He turned sharply at the sound of Abbey calling his name. She was holding a wad of tissue to Liz's face, who was sobbing and bleeding profusely.

"Oh my god, what happened!?"

Ellie stood close by, also crying uncontrollably. She seemed like she was trying to say something, but she couldn't seem to manage it.

Abbey explained, "Ellie got a little overly excited to follow Liz down the slide, and she kicked her in the face. I think her nose is broken."

At that statement, Elizabeth let out a heartbroken screech. It was quite an ordeal for a twelve year old girl to have something happen to her appearance. And of course, Liz getting more upset only made Ellie more upset.

"Okay, girls. Let's calm down for a minute." He turned to his wife. "Watch Zoey for a second, Abb."

Abbey turned to see their little Zoey in the ball pit, blissfully unaware of the turmoil of her sisters. "Jed, what is she doing in there? One of those in her mouth, and she'll get meningitis or something."

"I think we can chance it," he responded, rolling his eyes. He took Ellie and Liz off to the side to calm them down. He kneeled down to be at their eye level. "Alright, Ellie, can you take three deep breaths for me, honey?"

Ellie couldn't stop hyperventilating. This happened every time she got too emotional. But Jed knew that trying to take three deep breaths would force her to concentrate and she would be kept busy long enough for him to attend to Liz.

"Lizzie, can I take a look at your pretty face, please?"

"But Mom says it's broken!" she moaned, keeping the blood-soaked tissues pressed over her nose.

"Really? Your whole face?" Jed teased.

Liz paused for a fraction of a second, then removed the tissues. Blood dripped onto Jed's hand as he examined her nose. It was bent at an incorrect angle. Definitely broken.

"Well, I think you'll live," he concluded.

By this time, Ellie had calmed herself down enough to announce, "I did it. I took three deep breaths."

Jed smiled at her and kissed her tear-stained cheek. "That was great, Ellie. Thank you. Can you go bring Mommy and Zoey over, please?"

Ellie went to do as she was told, and Jed grabbed a handkerchief out of his pocket for Liz. Abbey came rushing over a moment later.

"How are you, baby doll?" she asked Liz with concern.

"It hurts."

"I know. We'll go to the hospital and get you all fixed up." Abbey stroked her daughter's dark hair soothingly.

Liz kept her eyes fixed on her father, watching him for some clue about how she should be feeling. She was scared, but Daddy seemed to be okay, so maybe she would be okay.

Ellie came back and tugged on her mother's shirt. "Mommy, I want to go home."

"We'll go home soon. But first we have to go get Liz fixed up." Abbey paused for a moment, looking around. "Ellie, where's Zoey?"

"I don't know."

Jed stood up. "What do you mean, you don't know? Abbey?"

"Ellie, you said you were going to get Zoey for me!" Ellie just shrugged. Abbey's heart skipped about three beats. "Stay with Liz," she ordered Ellie.

Jed and Abbey sprinted the twenty feet back over to the ball pit. Their toddler was nowhere to be seen. "Zoey!" they both shouted.

Up from the sea of green and red and yellow plastic popped a small head. She let out a muffled giggle. There was a red ball in her mouth. She spit it out and clapped happily. "Look, Daddy! I'm a seal!"

Jed didn't know if he was relieved or angry. He jumped over the low wall and into the ball pit. He grabbed Zoey by the waist and hauled her out, handing her to Abbey, who squeezed her tight and kissed every inch of her face.

"Mommy, stop!" Zoey protested.

"No, you stop. You don't hide from us, Zoey, alright?" Abbey said sternly.

Zoey nodded slowly, coming to understand that this was a serious moment.

Jed caressed her cheek and kissed her forehead before turning his attention to Abbey. "Why don't I drop you and Liz at the hospital, and I'll take Chuck Norris and Shamu back to the house."

Abbey's lips turned upward and nodded. "I don't care how much they beg you or how they guilt you or how they try to bribe you," she told her husband, "We are never, _ever_ coming back here."

"That's a promise, babe," he agreed.

They took their girls back to the car and drove in near silence. Zoey tapped her antsy feet on her car seat. Ellie balled up her shirt in her anxious fists. Liz whimpered in pain. Abbey looked out the window and drummed her nails on the armrest. Jed just drove, thankful that all four of his girls were safe and sound. For the most part.


End file.
